Wanderers losing streak continues after costly Phoenix defeat

Western Sydney Wanderers are still searching for their first points of 2019 after suffering a heartbreaking last-minute defeat to Wellington Phoenix as they lost their third consecutive home game.

An 89th-minute winner from Phoenix striker Roy Krishna inflicted the latest blow upon the Wanderers, though the real damage could be felt in the aftermath of Tuesday night's loss.

At the double: Roy Krishna struck twice late on for the Phoenix.Credit:AAP

While Western Sydney will feel to have left another match empty-handed in spite of a combative display, injury was added to the insult of the result with star imports Alex Baumjohann and Oriol Riera forced off.

The Wanderers will be sweating on a scan of Baumjohann's hamstring after the German playmaker left the field after just five minutes while a groin problem ended Riera's night prematurely, with the Spanish striker showing his frustration on the sideline. However, it was the insipid defender of the Wanderers that caused the most anguish for coach Markus Babbel.

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"The players worked hard, they tried everything, created chances and couldn’t score. If you look at the goals and how we concede, it’s not a surprise [we lost]," Babbel said.

In a season of misfortune, the early injury to Baumjohann was followed by similar bad luck for the Wanderers in the first-half. A decision from referee Jonathan Barreiro to award Wanderers' winger Bruce Kamau a penalty was eventually reversed after a near-three-minute delay to consult with the VAR.

The Wanderers continued to surge forward but found little joy against the Phoenix's well-drilled defence as shots from distance became the norm. However, in their dedication to find an opening, they were porous in defence. Phoenix striker Roy Krishna came close to putting the visitors ahead after the half hour when his close range finish rattled off the post. But minutes later, they went one better.

Played into the box by a clever Sapreet Singh ball, Louis Fenton muscled his way past Wanderers' Tarek Elrich to break the deadlock with a composed finish in the 37th minute.

Just as it looked to be another of those nights, Wanderers' captain Brendan Hamill replied in a manner befitting a leader. Rising highest to meet a corner, Hamill guided a header into the far corner of the net to make it 1-1 on the stroke of half-time.

Replacing Riera, Kwame Yeboah made his debut and was central to everything the Wanderers conjured in front of goal in the second half. With 10 minutes remaining, he was provided a perfect chance to seal their first win when put one-on-one with Phoenix goalkeeper Filip Kurto. Yeboah opted for placement and the Polish goalkeeper was more than up to the task, making a fine save to keep the score level.

It remained as such for only two minutes. Krishna was put through on goal and rounded Janjetovic, who had inexplicably sprinted from his area, to slot into an empty net making it 2-1.

Janjetovic's blushes looked to have been spared by teenager Keanu Baccus in the 84th minute. Off another Fitzgerald corner, the Wanderers' midfielder latched on to a loose ball to power a shot into the roof of the net, celebrating wildly as he made it 2-2.

Just as the Wanderers thought they were about to gain their first point of the year, Krishna struck his second. Beating Hamill at the near post, Krishna got onto the end of a Max Burgess cross to power a point-blank header past Janjetovic and consign the Wanderers to their fifth match without a win.

"It was very, very good. Im pleased for the players in the dressing room. We worked really hard in the off-season to make sure we recruit date right people," Phoenix coach Mark Rudan said.